“May you listen to your life with compassion and curiosity.

May you sit at the stoop of your sorrow with patience.

May you welcome the strangest parts of yourself to your own table.

May you show up with non-judgmental, unhurried presence in the places of your life for which there are no words.

May we become kind shepherds of our own souls.” —KJ Ramsey

I’ve heard from many of you lately. You, like me, are in a weird place of hurt and frustration and exhaustion. The past two years have taken their toll on us, haven’t they? We have very few shepherds leading us to rest and restoration. Instead, we hear the voices that urge us to keep going, to push through, to not give up, to find the silver linings, to make lemonade from lemons.

But what happens when we try all that and find ourselves more tired than before? It’s time to listen to our bodies and to our souls. They are telling us something, if we will stop to listen. Today, mine is telling me to rest. I will share today what my soul needs most: a reminder of the excellent care we find in our Good Shepherd.

PSALMS 23

A psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk

through the darkest valley

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

Surely your goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

My prayer is that we would have the courage to rest this week. As you read this prayer, what is the Spirit of God inviting you into?